CHRIS SCOTT

There has been an explosion of interest in paddling right across the world in 2020, British Canoeing reported a 40% rise in members, with 19,000 signing up in a 3-month period. Much of this interest has been in inflatable kayaks, with the authors own website (inflatablekayaksandpackrafts.com) averaging 1,000 visits a day. The comparatively low cost, the convenience of inflatable kayaks, and the fact that you can just get in and go, all add up to their appeal. And with thousands of miles of waterways in the UK, most are within reach of a river or canal where you can paddle your kayak and enjoy being in the fresh air, gently travelling through the natural world. You see the country from a different perspective and in an eco-friendly way. But, as with everything, a little bit of knowledge and technique makes the experience so much more enjoyable! That is where this book comes in. It provides a perfect introduction to the sport. It takes you through the different types of inflatable kayaks, so you buy the one that is right for you. It shows you the basic on-the-water skills that you will need, including getting in and out, how to paddle straight and turn. It outlines the gear you will need and talks about where to paddle as well as weather, safety, maintenance and repair of your equipment. It covers kayaking in rivers and canals, lakes and lochs, and coastal kayaking. All aspects are heavily illustrated with colour photographs making it easy to understand and clear to follow.

Packrafts are rugged, portable rafts, small enough to attach under a rucksack, but stable on the water to reassure first time paddlers. Weighing from 1-3 kilos, they open up a whole new world of amphibious adventuring, from navigating easily accessible waterways to discovering more challenging rivers and lochs only reachable on foot or bicycle. Packrafting: A Beginners Guide is a perfect introduction to the game-changing recreational opportunities opened up by packrafting. It takes you through the different types and features of packrafts to ensure that you buy a boat that is right for you and have the right gear to use with it. It clearly explains the basic paddling skills and how to safely evaluate risks on the water. It also introduces the different types of adventures you can undertake with your packraft, from paddling a local canal or river to lashing a bicycle over the bow or using a packable sail to traverse open water. The book is comprehensively illustrated with over 120 colour photographs making it easy to understand and clear to follow.

Dreaming of Dropping a Track That Ignites the Internet?Picture this: Your synth-soaked banger explodes on TikTok, racking up millions of duets and stitches, propelling it to Spotifys New Music Friday, and unlocking a flood of superfans who turn your streams into real revenue. In 2025, with global streaming rights revenue shattering $28.4 billion and indie artists dominating album sales like never before, the gatekeepers are gonebut the chaos of algorithms, playlists, and endless scrolls? Thats your battlefield. Enter Indie Music Mastery, the no-BS playbook that transforms overwhelmed bedroom producers into streaming savants.Penned by Chris Scott, the electronic music alchemist whos mixed and mastered hundreds of indie hits across LAs hottest studiosarmed with a garage full of Roland TR-808s and Moog Minimoogsthis guide isnt theory. Its battle-tested tactics from two decades in the trenches. Dive into Part 1 to decode distributors like DistroKid and Ditto, nailing uploads that maximize royalties and dodge hidden fees. Part 2 arms you with viral blueprints for TikTok (where 200 million+ videos fueled the 2024 Global Top 10 hits, rewriting discovery forever), Instagram Reels that build rabid communities, and Facebook ads that convert likes to merch sales. Then, Part 3 unleashes YouTube domination: SEO secrets, Shorts hacks, and collab strategies that turn one-off viewers into lifelong stans.Forget the fluffIndie Music Masterypacks checklists, case studies of 2025 breakouts, and pro tips to sync your releases into revenue machines. Whether youre a synth wizard or a loop-looping newbie, this is your shortcut from demo to dominance. Streams arent just numbers; theyre your empire. Ready to claim yours? Grab the book that turns noise into goldyour hit parade starts now.

In 1980, a quirky Japanese drum machine hit the sceneand the world hasnt stopped thumping since.Imagine a box of circuits, dismissed as a flop, that birthed the seismic boom of hip-hops golden age, the hypnotic haze of acid house raves, and the trap anthems rattling stadiums today. The Roland TR-808 wasnt built for glory; it was forged in Ikutaro Kakehashis Osaka workshop as an affordable rhythm sketchpad for broke songwriters. Priced at $1,195 and discontinued after just 12,000 units, its analog hearttunable kicks that rattle your soul, claps like scattered applause, hi-hats flickering like distant starsfound its way into pawn shops and Bronx basements. There, it ignited revolutions.From Afrika Bambaataas interstellar "Planet Rock" to Marvin Gayes sultry "Sexual Healing," Quincy Joness Thriller thunder, and Travis Scotts psychedelic "Sicko Mode," the 808 became the unsung co-writer of modern music. It powered Chicago warehouses where Frankie Knuckles spun house ecstasy, Detroit garages birthing techno gods like Juan Atkins, and Atlanta trap labs crafting bass quakes for Gucci Mane and Migos. A "failure" that democratized beats for Black and brown innovators shut out of ivory-tower studios, the 808 didnt just make soundsit made history, shaking genres, cultures, and subwoofers from Lagos to Ibiza.Dive into this electrifying saga: the machines improbable genesis, underground uprising, global conquest, iconic anthems, and enduring echo in 2025s AI-augmented beats. The Beat That Shaped the World is more than a biographyits a love letter to rhythms raw power, proving one humble box could remix the human heartbeat.

The Synth That Shaped the World: The History of the Roland Jupiter-8 Synthesizerby Chris ScottWhen the Roland Jupiter-8 arrived in 1981, it was more than a musical instrument it was a technological revolution wrapped in brushed aluminum and glowing orange light.In studios and on stages across the world, it gave sound to the decades most daring artists: Duran Duran, Depeche Mode, Howard Jones, Prince, and the visionary film composers who defined the electronic age.In The Synth That Shaped the World, historian and musician Chris Scott traces the full story of this legendary instrument from its creation in Rolands Hamamatsu laboratories to its reign across pop, new wave, and cinema, its disappearance in the digital era, and its stunning resurrection in the twenty-first century.Blending meticulous research with an ear for storytelling, Scott explores how the Jupiter-8 bridged art and engineering, analog soul and digital control, and why, more than forty years later, its luminous sound still defines what the future feels like.Lavishly detailed and deeply human, The Synth That Shaped the World is both a history and a love letter to the engineers who built it, the musicians who believed in it, and the audiences who never stopped hearing its glow.

A look at the nature of myth as a carrier of deep truth and that we all have our own internal myths about ourselves and life. Exploring what was and is meant by the term Messiah, both in the 1st century and now. "Here is a book bursting with common sense and inspiration, written by someone who has known life in all its rich complexity... Its a book that has to be read by all those who dare to ask for more" Revd Dr Terry Biddington FRSA, Dean of Spiritual Life, Winchester University.

A simple introduction to the world of tea. We start with a look into the history of tea and the different types of tea. White, Black, Green, Oolong and Tisanes. The tea process is fascinating and we go through the basics involved. Tea has many health benefits and we explain some of the main ones with supporting research. Everyone enjoys there tea differently but we still have a general guide to preparation, you may make your tea taste even better. We also have some information on caffeine, loose or bags and storage requirements. The guide is complimented with some beautiful photographs and recipes to enhance your tea experience. Finally we have some recipes you can try to make even better use of those wonderful leaves. Sit back, relax and enjoy your tea.